Planograph co



J. KRAWCZYK.

KEYED ZITHER. v

APPLICATION FILED MAY3h 1918.

'ms COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

Patented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. KRAWCZYK.

KEYED ZITHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3I, 1918.

' Patented July 15, 1919.

1,310,024 2 SHEETSSHEET Z IIVVE/VTOR A TTOR/VEY 'rln: COLUMBIA ILANOGRAPII co" WASHINGTON. 1). c4

JAMES KRAWGZYK, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

KEYED ZITHER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 15, 1919.

A lication filed May 31, 1918. Serial No. 237,388.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES KnAwozYK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyed Zithers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments, and has for its object to provide novel and simple means for operating musical instruments of the zither type, whereby the strings may be either thrummed, like a piano, or played with a tremolo, like a mandolin. A further object is to provide novel and simple means for mechanically operating the bass strings of the instrument. And a further object is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of various string instruments.

I attain these objects by the ,means set forth in the detailed description which follows, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in 'which Figure l is atop plan view of the complete instrument, with parts broken away to show certain details.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken-on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section, on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section, on line 55 of Fig.2; showing the support for the striker levers.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of certain parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 7 is a view of a cabinet for supporting and inclosing the instrument.

In the drawing, 2 is the sound-box of a zither or similar instrument, upon which is mounted a series of treble strings 3, and a series of'bass strings 4, all of which may be constructed in the usual manner for instruments'of the class. To the front end of the instrument is attached a "iard 5, which may be suitably secured to t e box 2. The guard 5 is preferably spaced a short distance from one end of the box 2, and extends upwardly and then inclines inwardly, as at 5', the latter portion over-hanging the end of the sound-box 2. The keyboard is disposed along. the free e'dge of the part 5,-

and a support for the treble keys consists of an angular metal part 6, which is disposed between the guard 5 and the end of the box 2. The support 6 is rigidly secured to the guard 5 by rivets or screws 7. The upper or free edge of the support 6 is provided with a series of hinge-loops 8 (see Figs. 2 and 5), the spaces between the loops receiving the several loops '9 of the striker levers 9, and a pintle 10 is driventhrough the loops 8 and 9 for pivot-ally securing said parts together. Each lever 9 is fitted with a relatively long flexible flat spring 11, which extends away toward the opposite end of the box 2, and to the free end of'each spring 11 is secured the striker .or hammer 12, which strikes the corresponding treble wires 3 when a lever 9 is depressed by the player (see dotted lines Fig. 2). 13 is a music holder, which consists of a relatively broad and flat plate, one end of which is pivoted to the pintle 10 by means of loops 13, while the opposite end of said holder consists of a hinged extension 13, which may be folded upon the main portion of the holder to reduce its length. To the underside of the holder 13 is secured a felt pad 1 1, against which the springs 11 cushion when the latter are released by the. player, as "best seen in Fig. 2. The music rack or holder is held in the inclined position shown in Fig. 2, which is the playing position, in part by a series of tension spring 15, which are disposed between the free ends of the levers 9 and the support 6, and in part by contact with the-free edge of the ,part '5. Each of the striker-arms is provided with a key, consisting of a circular/button l6, which is mounted on a, rod 16, the latter preferably being pivoted to the lever 9 by a pin 17. The depressing of the. keys 16 to the extent shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, forces the strikers 12 downwardly upon the strings 3 (see dotted lines in Fig. 2 and produces the desired notes. The keys 16 are preferably arranged in two rows which extend across the field of the strings3, and to facilitate the convenient positioning and operation of said keys, the latter are preferably staggered, as shown. In practice there is one striker, and one key 16 for each pair of the strings 3.

Instead of thrumming the bass strings with the fingers, or withapickf held by the left hand'of the piayeaas heretofore, I revide a novel and simple mechanical device for operating the different sets of bass strings, which will now be described.

20 is a hollow casing substantially closed except at its bottom facing the bass strings, and having perforated lugs resting on and attached to the top side of the box 2 by screws 21. To the underside of the top of casing 20 is secured a plurality of loops 22, and through slots 23 in said top are inserted S-shaped bell-cranks 24, which are pivoted to said loops by pins 25. To the upper or free ends of the bell-cranks are secured keys 26, by which the bell-cranks are operated; Within the casing I 20 are disposed a plurality of levers 27, each of which is pivoted by a pin 27 to a movable hinge member 28, the latter being pivoted by a pin 29 to a stationary member 30, which depends from the top of the casing 20. The parts just referred to support one end of the levers 27, the opposite ends of said levers being supported resiliently by springs 31, which rest upon a transverse rod 32, and hold said levers substantially parallel to the strings 4, the springs 31 being suitably fastened to the underside of the levers 27. A second rod 32 parallels the rod 32 and limits the vertical movements of the levers 27. From the outer or free end of each lever 27 depends a pick or finger 33, which is dragged across the corresponding set of bass strings (usually four strings), for sounding the accompaniment to the treble notes. A spring 34 con necting at one end to each bell-crank 24, its free end bearing upon the top side of the corresponding lever 27, depresses the said lever by the initial depression of the key 26 (see dotted position 26 Fig. 3), sufiiciently to overcome the tension of the spring 31, thereby forcing the free end of the lever 27 downwardly toward the strings 4. This downward movement of the lever 27 positions the point of the pick 33 below the level of the strings 4, in readiness to be dragged across said strings, as described. 35 is a twisted link, one end of which is pivoted to the lever 27, as at 36, the opposite end of said link having a slot in which a pin 37 carried by the bell-crank 24 plays. The initial depression of the key 26 to the dotted position 26', moves the pin 37 the length of the slot in the link without moving said link. This delay in the movement of the link allows spring 34 to depress lever 27, for disposing the pick 33 alongside the first bass string of a set, as described. The final downward movement of the key 26 (see dotted position 26" Fig. 3) causes the pin 37 to pull on the link 35 and the latter owing to its connection with the lever 27, imparts to said lever a slight rotary move ment on the pivot 27', which swings the free end of said lever from the full line to the dotted position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, for dragging the pick 33 across and sounding the corresponding set of bass strings 4. Upon the releasing of the pressure on the key 26, spring 31 forces the lever 27 upwardly against rod 32, and a spring 39 exerts its tension for swinging the said lever from the dotted back to the full line position (Figs. 2 and 4), ready for a subsequent operation. The pressure of the spring 34 is relaxed by the upward move ment of the bell-crank and key 26.

To play a tune, the music, as 40, is first placed on the rack 13 (see Fig. 2). The player either stands or sits before the keyboard end of the instrument, and manipulates the keys 16 with the right hand, as when playing any similar instrument. The keys '16 are each numbered, the numbers running consecutively throughout the staggered rows. The music may be played by note, as indicated at 41 on the holder, or by numbers, as indicated on the keys 16, or by letters, or any other usual symbols, no special claim being made in this application for the method of playing the air or treble of the music. If the player strikes the keys a sharp quick blow, the strikers 12 merely thrum the strings like the piano keys. But if he depresses the keys and holds them down, the springs 11 vibrate on the strings and produce a tremolo. At the same time the right hand is playing the keys 16, the left hand may be manipulating the five bass keys 26, for sounding the chords represented by the several sets of the strings 4. All four strings of each set are played bya single depression of the corresponding key 26.. Fig. 7 illustrates a cabinet 42 designed to hold the zither when played as well as when idle.

My invention is extremely simple. The provision of the novel mechanical means for playing the bass accompaniment, herein shown and described, adds greatly to the value of the instrument, and enables those of little skill to play difiicult music with accuracy and comparative ease.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a musical instrument, the combination with the treble and the bass strings,

- and a plurality of flexible striker levers pivotally held above the treble strings, of a depressible key for each striker lever, a support for said levers, said support having hinge-loops alternating with similar loops of said levers, a music rack pivoted to said support and having perforations to receive the stems of said keys, and mechanical means for operating the bass strings independently of the other strings.

2. A musical instrument, including a plurality of treble strings arranged in pairs,

a striker arm for each pair of strings, each of said arms having a hinge-loop, a support for said arms, said support having spaced hinge-loops to receive therebetween the loops of said arms, a pintle piercing all of said loops, a music rack overlying said striker arms, saidrack pivoted to said pintle and having perforations corresponding to said arms, and a plurality of keys for operating said arms, said keys arranged in staggered rows and having stems passing through said perforations.

3. In a zither, the combination with the treble strings arranged in pairs and a Copies of this potent may be obtsined for Me eents each, by addressing the sound-box, of a music rack hinged above said strings and said box, said rack having perforations corresponding to each pair of strings, striker arms having hammers for vibrating said strings, keys having stems passing through the perforations in said rack and pivotally connecting With said arms, a guard spaced from said box, and a part disposed between said box and said guard for pivota-lly supporting said arms and said rack.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES KRAWCZYK.

"Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

